Despite having an estimated 25,000 residents — the most of any city in Indian River County — Sebastian retains its small-town charm.

But one proposal alone could add more than 8,000 residents on top of the many developments City Council already has approved. Last week, the city's Planning and Zoning Committee split, 3-3, on approving a Graves Brothers Co. proposal to have the city annex about 1,100 acres for mixed uses south of County Road 510.

The split, along with objections from Indian River County, Fellsmere and local environmental and slow-growth groups, should spur city officials to collaborate with opponents and mitigate their concerns.

Once the growth genie comes out of the bottle — and some members of Sebastian council seem to want to unleash it — there's little stopping the area from becoming South Florida. The east side of Interstate 95, in an area outside the urban services boundary, is no place to take wanton risks.

It's a place to be prudent and patient.

That's the message City Council should get when it considers what to do at its 6 p.m. meeting Wednesday.